BRPI1009403B1 - mechanical seal, seal set, and pump - Google Patents

Abstract

mechanical seal, seal set, and pump mechanical seals, seal sets and pumps are described. a mechanical seal includes a seal element and an assembly that forms part of a mounting assembly for mounting the seal element on a seal support structure. in one embodiment, the assembly forms part of a seal assembly and is an elastomeric ring attached to the seal element.

Description

MECHANICAL SEAL, SEAL ASSEMBLY, AND, TECHNICAL FIELD PUMP [0001] This description refers to a mechanical seal to provide a fluid seal between rotating and stationary components. The invention was developed especially, but not exclusively, for use in fluid pumps, such as mud pumps, where the mechanical seal is mounted between a rotating drive shaft and on a pump housing, and is described in this context. However, it must be realized that a mechanical seal like this can have a more comprehensive application, and that it is not limited to this use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Mechanical seals have been used to provide a fluid seal between a rotating shaft and a fluid containing chamber. As such, mechanical seals are applied to pumps where the drive shaft of an externally mounted pump motor extends through the pump housing to drive the pump propeller. In an application like this, the mechanical seal is typically located where the rotating shaft enters or leaves the housing and is mounted on the housing and the rotating shaft to provide a seal between these components.

[0003] Such mechanical seals generally comprise some components that rotate with the shaft (or other rotating part of the equipment on which it is mounted) and those components that are mounted on the stationary parts of the equipment. At the interface of these rotating and stationary components are contact sealing faces; one that rotates and the other that is stationary. These sealing faces are in opposite relation and are arranged to be pushed into contact to form a fluid seal between them.

[0004] In the past, problems were found in the use of mechanical seals in some pumping applications,

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 6/55 / 19 particularly in mining mud pumps, due to the aggressive environment created in the mud pumps, the high loading induced in the pump components during startup and operation, and the need for continuous operation of the pumps over extended periods. Thus, there is a current need to improve the design of the mechanical seal to improve its suitability in pumping applications.

SUMMARY OF DESCRIPTION [0005] In a first aspect, modalities of a mechanical seal for sealing a rotating shaft and a housing are described, the mechanical seal comprising first and second opposed sealing elements, each having an annular sealing face surrounding the shaft , the first sealing element adapted to be sealed on the rotating shaft and the second sealing element adapted to be sealed in the housing, the sealing faces being arranged to be in sliding contact and pushed together to form a seal between them; and a mounting assembly arranged to secure one of the sealing elements in position with respect to a mechanical seal support structure, the mounting assembly including an assembly which is arranged to transfer torque between the support structure and a sealing element, the assembly being arranged to deform under load in order to distribute the torque load on the sealing element.

[0006] When mechanical sealing is used on a pump, mounting the assembly assists in protecting the sealing elements, particularly in the starting phase of the pump. At startup, torque provided by the drive shaft must overcome the static frictional resistance that exists on the sealing faces in contact to allow the first sealing element (rotating) to move in relation to the second sealing element (stationary). This frictional resistance can be high and, correspondingly, the forces induced in the sealing elements can

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 7/55 / 19 be high. The assembly allows a sealing element to better accommodate these forces, allowing the assembly to absorb part of the load, deforming itself, thus acting as a damper for the seal. An additional advantage of the assembly is that it can provide a certain resilience close to the sealing interface, thus allowing the sealing element a certain ability to adjust and move during operation, which assists in keeping these surfaces in contact.

[0007] In one form, the assembly includes a body portion and a retaining rib that protrudes from the body portion. In a particular arrangement, the retaining rib is tightened so as to secure the sealing member in position.

[0008] In a second aspect, modalities of a mechanical seal for sealing a rotating shaft and a housing are described, the mechanical seal comprising first and second opposed sealing elements, each having an annular sealing face surrounding the shaft, the first sealing element adapted to be sealed on the rotary axis and the second sealing element adapted to be sealed in the housing, the sealing faces being arranged to be pushed into contact to form a seal between them; and a mounting assembly arranged to secure one of the sealing elements in position with respect to a mechanical seal support structure, the mounting assembly including an assembly with a body attached to the sealing element and a retaining rib protruding from from the body, the retaining rib being tightened on the support structure to allow the transfer of torque between the sealing element and the support structure.

[0009] In a form according to any aspect described above, the rib protrudes on a plane that is substantially parallel to the sealing face of the sealing element.

[00010] An advantage of the rib according to the second aspect is

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 8/55 / 19 that the torque load is more evenly distributed around the sealing element, due to the contact surface being along the tight rib, which can extend around a sealing element. In previous systems, torque was transferred by means of mechanical fasteners, such as bolts, which cause stress concentrations in the sealing element on the contact surfaces between the screw and the sealing element.

[00011] In one form, the assembly assembly additionally comprises a retaining part which is arranged to releasably tighten the retaining rib to secure the sealing element in position. In addition, in a particular embodiment, the assembly assembly additionally comprises a support surface which is arranged to prevent axial movement of the sealing element in relation to the axis of rotation of the rotary axis. In a particular form, the supporting surfaces form part of the retaining part.

[00012] In one form, the sealing element includes a recess in which the assembly is fitted.

[00013] In a particular embodiment, the assembly is in the form of a resilient ring that is attached to the sealing element. In one form, the assembly is formed of a viscoelastic material and, in a particular embodiment, it is bonded to the sealing element. In one form, the assembly is connected by a process of vulcanization to the sealing element.

[00014] In a third aspect, modalities of a mechanical seal for sealing a rotating shaft and a housing are described, the mechanical seal comprising first and second opposite sealing elements, each having an annular sealing face surrounding the shaft, the first sealing element adapted to be sealed in the rotating portion and the second sealing element adapted to be sealed in the housing, the sealing faces being arranged to be pushed into contact to form

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 9/55 / 19 a seal between them; and a mounting assembly arranged to secure one of the sealing elements in position with respect to a mechanical seal support structure, the mounting set including a resilient ring that is attached to the sealing element and connected to the support structure to allow for torque transfer between the sealing element and the support structure.

[00015] The ring of the third aspect of the feature may include the features of the resilient ring described above with respect to the first and second aspects of the description.

[00016] In one form, in any of the first, second or third aspects, the sealing element is formed of ceramic material. In a particular embodiment, the assembly assembly mounts the first sealing element on the rotating shaft. In this way, the assembly is responsible for transferring the torque given from the rotating shaft to the first sealing element.

[00017] In a particular embodiment, the seal comprising a second mounting assembly is arranged to secure the other of the sealing elements in position with respect to a second support structure of the mechanical seal. This second assembly set can include any of the features described above with reference to the assembly set of the first, second or third aspects of the invention.

[00018] In a fourth aspect, modalities of a sealing assembly for a mechanical seal are described, the assembly comprising a sealing element having an annular sealing face and an assembly that is connected to the sealing element.

[00019] In a particular embodiment, the seal assembly is for use in a mechanical seal according to any form described above with reference to the first, second or third aspects of the invention. In particular, in one form, the assembly is formed from a resilient ring attached

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 10/55 / 19 in the sealing element. In one form, the assembly is formed of a viscoelastic material. In a particular arrangement, the assembly is linked by a vulcanization process to at least one sealing element. In one form, the assembly includes a body portion and a retaining rib protruding from the body portion, the retaining rib being arranged to be tightened so as to secure the sealing member in position on the mechanical seal.

[00020] In an additional aspect, modalities of a pump are described including a pump casing with an opening, a drive shaft that extends through the opening, and a mechanical seal according to any of the forms described above with reference to the first, second or third aspects of the invention providing a fluid seal between the housing and the drive shaft, where the rotating shaft of the mechanical seal is mounted on the drive shaft, and the mechanical seal is mounted on the pump housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [00021] It is convenient to describe a mechanical seal modality with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[00022] Figure 1 is a perspective view (with a quarter of the section removed);

[00023] Figure 2 is a side elevation of the mechanical seal in Figure 1;

[00024] Figure 3 is an exploded view of the components of the mechanical seal of Figure 1;

[00025] Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of the mechanical seal in Figure 1 connected to a pump housing and on the drive shaft;

[00026] Figure 5 is a perspective view (with a quarter of the section removed) of another type of mechanical seal that is similar to that of figure 1;

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 11/55 / 19 [00027] Figure 6 is a side elevation of the mechanical seal in figure 5;

[00028] Figure 6a is a perspective view of a portion of the mechanical seal of Figure 6;

[00029] Figure 7 is a side elevation of the mechanical seal in Figure 5; and [00030] Figure 7 a is a perspective view of a portion of the mechanical seal in Figure 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC MODALITIES [00031] Back to the drawings, in figure 1, there is described a mechanical seal 10 which is for use in providing a sealing interface between rotating and stationary components. In general, the mechanical seal 10 includes a stationary part or housing 12 in the form of a generally annular flange or ring 31 and a rotating part which is generally in the form of a shaft sleeve 14 which extends through the housing 12 and is rotatable about a CL axis. There are several components that connect the rotating and stationary parts, which will now be described.

[00032] To form a fluid seal between the stationary annular flange 31 and the rotary shaft sleeve 14, a pair of sealing elements in the form of continuous rings 16, 18 is provided. In use, the rings 16, 18 are mounted in the respective support structures of the seal 10. In the embodiment shown, one of the seal rings 16 rotates and is affixed to the shaft sleeve 14, while the other seal ring 18 remains stationary when being fitted into the stationary housing 12 by means of a support set 20 (the various components of which will be briefly described). Each of the sealing rings 16, 18 includes a respective annular sealing face (22, 24) which in use are located in opposite relation and have a polished finish. The sealing faces 22, 24 are arranged to be driven into

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 12/55 / 19 contact with each other to form a fluid seal between them, as will be described.

[00033] The mechanical seal 10 according to the exposed form is suitable for use in a centrifugal pump (for example, as shown in figure 4). Mechanical seal 10 provides a fluid barrier between a pump housing 100 and rotary drive shaft 102 which is mounted on shaft sleeve 14. Axle sleeve 14 houses (and rotates together) rotary drive shaft 102, which connects a drive motor (not shown) to a pump propeller (not shown) that is located inside a pump pumping chamber. The pump housing 100 is screwed into the housing 12 of the mechanical seal 10 by means of screws that fit into receiving holes 13. The rotary drive shaft 102 is mounted by bolts, rivets or screws 92 that are located in receiving holes 15 to tighten it on the rotating shaft sleeve 14 of the mechanical seal 10.

[00034] The rotating shaft sleeve 14 of the mechanical seal 10 is typically made of a material such as machined stainless steel (for example, AISI 316). The shaft sleeve 14 includes a drive collar 26 mounted on a rear end 27 of the shaft sleeve 14, which is on the outside of the stationary housing 12 and the pump housing 100, and without any contact with the fluid inside the pump. The shaft sleeve 14 also incorporates the rotating seal ring 16 at an opposite (front) end 29 of the shaft sleeve 14, which is in the region of the mechanical seal 10 that is in contact with the fluid, inside the pump. The sealing ring 16 is arranged on an external surface 33 of the shaft sleeve 14 and is oriented so that its respective sealing face 22 faces back towards the rear end 27 of the shaft sleeve 14. The sealing ring 16 (which is typically made of a ceramic such as silicon carbide, or a hard metallic material, such as tungsten carbide) is attached to the sleeve

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 13/55 / 19 of the shaft 14 by means of a mounting assembly including an assembly in the form of an elastomeric coupling 28, and a clamping collar 30 that tightens around the sealing ring 16 and retains it in the shaft sleeve 14 using a bolting arrangement 25. The function and operation of the assembly set will be described in more detail below.

[00035] The support set 20 is located between the shaft sleeve 14 and the housing 12 and is arranged to float, meaning that it is not rigidly attached to either the housing 12 or the shaft sleeve 14. The support assembly 20 has multiple functions such as:

- support the stationary seal ring 18;

- providing a predisposing force to the sealing ring 18 to propel it into contact with the rotating sealing ring 16;

- providing a fluid barrier between the housing 12 and the sealing ring 18. When mounted on a pump, the fluid barrier formed by the support assembly 20 becomes an internal surface of the pump chamber; and

- support the sleeve of the rotary shaft 14 in relation to the stationary annular flange 31 that forms the housing 12.

[00036] To enable these three different functions, the support set 20 comprises:

- a base portion in the form of an annular hub 40 which is mounted within the annular flange 31 of the housing 12 and around the shaft sleeve 14 and a circumferential cylinder or sleeve 32 protruding from the hub 40 and extending around the shaft sleeve 14, and is spaced from it;

- a movable portion in the form of a circumferential flanged projection 34; and

- a predisposition device in the form of an elastomeric ring 36 disposed between the sleeve 32 and the movable flanged projection 34. [00037] The movable flanged projection 34 has a sealing ring

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 14/55 / 19 stationary 18 of the mechanical seal mounted at its lead end by means of a second mounting assembly that includes a second assembly in the form of an elastomeric coupling 38. The resilient elastomeric ring 36 is arranged to impart a predisposing force on the movable flanged projection 34 to urge the sealing ring 18 to move in relation to the circumferential sleeve of the base 32 and for close face-to-face contact with the rotating sealing ring 16.

[00038] The annular flange 31 and the hub 40 are both typically formed of machined steel, such as machined stainless steel (for example, AISI 316). The hub 40 includes a central opening 42 through which the shaft sleeve 14 extends, with a small circumferential gap D in it. An inner surface 44 of the hub 40 includes a bearing 46 that extends through the gap D and on which the shaft sleeve 14 rotates. In the illustrated form, the bearing 46 is formed as a carbon sliding ring of rectangular cross section.

[00039] The outer circumferential surface 48 of the hub 40 is in sliding contact with an inner circumferential surface 50 of the annular flange 31 of the housing 12, so as to form a joint between them. To reduce friction between these surfaces, an annular groove 52 is incorporated in the outer surface 48 of the hub 40. An O-ring seal 54 is also located in a small circumferential groove in the inner surface 50 of the annular flange 31 and positioned between the surfaces contacts 48, 50 to provide a secondary fluid seal between them.

[00040] An elastomeric cover 56 extends across the front face of the annular flange 31 to partially cover the annular flange 31 and the entire hub 40, including covering the joint between these components 31, 40 and preventing fluid penetration between the inner surface 50 of the annular flange 31 and the outer surface 48 of the hub 40. This cap 56 provides a primary seal against the entry of fluid and particulate matter on the side of the mechanical seal 10 which is in contact with the fluid inside the pump, but without restricting

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 15/55 / 19 too much the sliding nature of the contact between the hub 40 and the annular flange 31.

[00041] A feature of mechanical seal 10 is that the contact surfaces 48, 50 of the hub 40 and annular flange 31 are arched and, more specifically, the outer surface of the hub 48 is spherical in order to form a ball joint (or ball and socket joint) between the hub and the annular flange portion 31 of the housing 12. This allows the support assembly 20 and the rotary shaft sleeve 14 to float and be angled in relation to the stationary housing 12 so that the axis of rotation of the drive shaft 102 and the shaft sleeve 14 can move in all directions out of alignment with the central axis CL of the opening 42 of hub 40. In fact, the ball joint that is formed between the hub 40 and the annular flange 31 in the mechanical seal 10 can accommodate a relatively large angular variation between these two geometrical axes (in the order of up to 5-10 ^o ). This is advantageous since it allows the mechanical seal 10 to be mounted on the equipment where the rotary axis is out of alignment with the equipment housing which is joined to the annular flange 31 (by means of screws and receiving holes 13). In addition, and importantly, this ability to accommodate this angular variation can be achieved without providing any misalignment due to the sealing faces 22, 24 of the respective sealing rings 16, 18 and leakage of fluid through them.

[00042] The sleeve 32 of the support set 20 is supported by the hub 40, and protrudes from it. Sleeve 32, which is typically formed of steel, such as stainless steel, surrounds the sleeve of the rotating shaft 14, but is spaced from it, and provides a seat for the inner circumference of elastomeric ring 36. In the illustrated form, elastomeric ring 36 it is formed of a viscoelastic material such as a polymeric elastomer. Ring 36 extends around outer surface 60 of sleeve 32 and is connected to sleeve 32

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 16/55 / 19 preferably by a vulcanization process in order to form a strong connection that is impermeable to fluid.

[00043] The flanged projection 34 (which connects to the stationary seal ring 18) is formed as an L-shaped ring in the cross section and has an inner surface 64 that fits over the outer circumference of the elastomeric ring 36, and is bonded to it, again preferably by a vulcanization process to provide both a strong and impermeable fluid connection between these elements. The flanged projection 34 is typically formed of metal, such as stainless steel, and, along with the other parts of the movable portion of the support assembly 20, extends around the spaced but rotating shaft sleeve 14. In this way, the flanged projection 34 is completely supported on the elastomeric ring 36.

[00044] The resilient elastomeric ring 36 not only supports the movable portion (flanged projection 34) of the support assembly 20, but is arranged to urge that portion forward (i.e., towards the end of the shaft 29) in order to keep the sealing faces 22, 24 of the respective sealing rings 16, 18 in contact. This is achieved by preloading the elastomeric ring 36, moving / positioning the flanged projection 34 in relation to the sleeve 32 in order to deform the elastomeric ring 36 and put this ring under tension, and then keep these components in that position (ie, the elastomeric ring 36 is placed under tension by the movement of the flanged projection 34 towards the rear end 27 of the shaft). This tensioning in this way induces a predisposing force on the sealing ring 18 to propel it forward against the external sealing ring 16 and to maintain a closed gap between them. The structure of the elastomeric ring 36 allows the predisposing force to be applied uniformly to the sealing ring 18 and around the axis of rotation of the rotating shaft sleeve 14 and the rotating sealing ring 16.

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 17/55 / 19 [00045] The amount of preload applied to the elastomeric ring 36 depends on the amount of axial movement of the flanged projection 34 in relation to the sleeve 32. Since the sleeve of the shaft 14 is movable in relation to the hub 40 (and therefore, it can move axially along the drive shaft 102), this axial movement needs to be limited to maintain the preload on the elastomeric ring 36. This is achieved by using T-shaped adjustment tabs 66 which are mounted on hub 40 and removed by installing the mechanical seal 10. Adjustment tabs 66 are typically secured to hub 40 by bolts or screws 68 and arranged to anchor around drive collar 26 to secure the axial position of hub 40 on the sleeve axis 14. As shown, the adjustment tabs 66 are arranged to rest on the drive collar 26. With the adjustment tabs 66 in place, the elastomeric ring 36 remains in its pre-loaded state, since the assembly support 20 cannot expand axially along the shaft (which would release the tension on the elastomeric ring 36) since it is axially confined between the front rotating seal ring 16 and the drive collar 26 at the rear of the shaft.

[00046] The construction of the support set 20 with the elastomeric seal ring 36 disposed between the sleeve 32 and the flanged projection 34 provides an arrangement where the force applied on the stationary seal ring 18 is concentric and uniform around the geometric axis of rotation CL of the rotary shaft sleeve 14.

[00047] The support assembly 20 provides a fluid barrier for the mechanical seal 10 that extends from the stationary seal ring 18 to the annular flange 31 of the housing 12 and, in effect, becomes an internal wall of the pump housing . The sealing ring 36 is thus exposed to the fluid in the pump 100 during operation. The ring 36 forms an integrated part of this fluid impermeable barrier (comprising the continuous seal ring 36 which is connected to the sleeve 32 and the flanged projection 34 as well).

[00048] The rear surface 70 of the seal ring 36 is in contact

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 18/55 / 19 with the fluid inside the pump because fluid can penetrate the space between the end of the flanged boss 34 and the cap 56. This then allows the fluid pressure in the pump to assist in the predisposition of the flanged boss 34 of the support assembly 20 towards the end 29, thus contributing to the predisposition force that keeps the annular sealing faces 22, 24 in contact. An increase in fluid pressure inside the pump chamber can increase the predisposition force. This additional predisposing force counteracts, at least to a certain extent, the force that is applied by the fluid pressure at the gasket seals 16, 18 which tends to force these elements out of each other. As such, mechanical seal 10 is capable of operating effectively under different fluid pressures. This is beneficial in pumping applications where the fluid pressure can fluctuate considerably from the start until it is fully operational.

[00049] As previously mentioned, the sealing rings 16, 18 are each held in place by means of mounting kits. These mounting sets include elastomeric couplings 28, 38 that are designed to accommodate torque loading, the support surfaces 94, 96 against which the sealing rings 16, 18 locate, and which prevents the sealing rings 16, 18 from moving axially, and clamping collars 30, 82 that clamp the respective elastomeric couplings 28, 38. In addition, one of the clamping collars 30 includes a support surface 94, while the other clamping collar 82 is designed to hold the sealing ring 18 against the support surface 96.

[00050] In the illustrated form, the sealing rings 16, 18 (which are typically ceramic) have a cut-out portion or recess on the rear face (the face opposite to their respective annular sealing faces 22, 24). Elastomeric couplings 28, 38 each have a base portion (72, 84, respectively) that is mounted on this recess and typically attached in place

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 19/55 / 19 by a vulcanization process. Elastomeric couplings 28, 38 also include respective rib portions 76, 78 that extend outside the base portions 72, 74 in addition to the respective sealing rings 16, 18 on which they are mounted and in a plane parallel to the respective faces ring seals 22, 24. These rib portions 76, 78 are releasably secured in use to hold the attached sealing rings 16, 18 in place. Specifically, the rotating seal ring 16 is held by a retaining piece in the form of the clamping collar 30 which tightens the rib portion 76 on the front surface 23 of the shaft sleeve 14. An O-ring 80 can also be mounted to provide a water barrier between collar 30 and seal ring 16. Clamping collar 30 includes a bearing surface 94 on an inner face and rests on the rear face of seal ring 16 in order to prevent axial movement of the ring seal 16 out of the other seal ring 18. The stationary seal ring 18 is held by a retaining piece in the form of a clamping collar 82 that secures the rib portion 78 to the front surface 85 of the flanged projection 34. Additionally , the sealing ring 18 is tightened in a position where its rear face rests on the support surface 96 which is formed on the outer face of the flanged projection 34.

[00051] The tight elastomeric couplings 28, 38 are in the form of resilient rings and designed to accommodate torque and assist in the protection of the sealing rings 16, 18, particularly in the starting phase of using a pump. At startup, the torque provided by the drive shaft 102 must overcome the static frictional resistance that exists on the contact seal faces 22, 24 to allow the rotary seal ring 16 to move in relation to the stationary seal ring 18. This frictional resistance can be high and, correspondingly, the forces induced in the sealing rings 16, 18 can be high. Elastomeric couplings 28, 38 allow sealing rings 16, 18 to better accommodate these forces, ensuring that the

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 20/55 / 19 torque is transferred and distributed along the sealing rings 16, 18 (due to the continuous contact surface between the clamping collars 30, 82 and the rib portions 76, 78 of the elastomeric couplings 28, 30) and also allowing the elastomeric couplings 28, 30 to absorb part of the load by deformation, thus acting as a damper for the mechanical seal 10. An additional advantage of an elastomeric coupling 28, 30 is that it provides a certain resilience close to the sealing interface , thus allowing the sealing rings 16, 18 a certain ability to adjust and move during operation, which assists in keeping the surfaces of the sealing faces 22, 24 in contact. For couplings 28, 30 and any of the other elastomeric parts referred to in this specification, the manufacturing material can be a viscoelastic material, such as a polymeric elastomer, or a natural or synthetic rubber, or composite rubber, or a blend of product specific rubber (eg Viton brand). In additional embodiments, the elastomeric couplings 28, 30 may be present in the form of multiple possibly discontinuous arcuate segments fixed in a respective seal ring 16, 18, instead of in the form of a continuous ring.

[00052] In the illustrated form, collar 82 has a forward facing surface 84 that incorporates fins that extend radially 86. These fins are designed to promote turbulent flow in the vicinity of the sealing rings 16, 18 that assist in cooling the sealing rings 16, 18, leading out the heat of friction generated in general surroundings during use. To further assist in the creation of this turbulent flow, additional fins 88 are profiled on the front face of the cover 56. It was observed in experimental tests that the turbulent flow is sufficient to cool the mechanical seal 10, especially in the vicinity of the seal rings 16, 18 and without the need for a separate rapid cooling system to be incorporated into the mechanical seal 10. This provides an advantage

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 21/55 / 19 considerable, both in terms of simplifying the design and reducing the costs of the operation in progress.

[00053] In use, the mechanical seal 10 is provided with a predisposition device in the form of the elastomeric ring 36, being preloaded. The mechanical seal 10 is mounted on the pump 100, locating the shaft sleeve 14 on the drive shaft 102 of the pump 100. The annular flange 31 is capable of being tilted on the hub 40 of the mechanical seal 10, if necessary, so that the flange ring 31 align with the pump housing. The mechanical seal 10 is then fixed in place, with the annular flange 31 being screwed into the liner by pins 90 which are located in receiving holes 13. The shaft sleeve 14 is mounted on the drive shaft 102 by pins, rivets or screws 92 that extend through receiving holes 15 in the drive collar 26 and that bite into the drive shaft 102. Once fixed in place, the adjustment tabs 66 can be removed, which ensures that there is adequate operating clearance between the collar drive 26 and hub 40 and that the various components of the support assembly 20 are under appropriate tension and contact. The mechanical seal 10 is now in place and the pump is ready for operation.

[00054] In an additional embodiment shown in figure 5, mechanical seal 10A is in all respects the same as mechanical seal 10 shown from figure 1 to figure 4, and, for the sake of simplicity, equal parts have been assigned part numbers similar, with the letter A additional. The main difference between mechanical seals 10, 10A is the presence of a quick cooling system 97 in mechanical seal 10A. The quick-cooling system 97 includes an orifice 98 that forms an internal conduit that extends through the annular flange 31A of the stationary housing 12A and the hub 40A. The orifice 98 is arranged for the possible introduction of cooling water in the sealing chamber that is located between the shaft sleeve 14 and the various components of the support set, as well as the possibility of

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 22/55 / 19 washing of any particulate matter that was dragged into the sealing chamber in use. A second orifice (not shown) is also provided, which forms an internal conduit similar to orifice 98 but which is angularly spaced around the geometric axis CL of orifice 98 and provides a discharge point for the cooling water introduced into the seal chamber through hole 98.

[00055] Referring to figures 6, 6a, 7 and 7a in relation to the mechanical seal 10A, additional details of the elastomeric couplings 28A, 38A are shown. In figures 6 and 6a, the elastomeric coupling 28A is shown with a certain detail in additional perspective when connected to the sealing ring 16A. In figures 7 and 7a, the elastomeric coupling 38A is shown with a certain detail in additional perspective when connected to the sealing ring 18A.

[00056] In this way, a mechanical seal is provided, which is ideally suited for pumps. The seal is of simple construction and is capable of operating under fluctuating fluid pressures to provide a uniform predisposing force on the sealing faces to keep those sealing faces in contact. The mechanical seal does not require separate rapid cooling to cool the seal faces (although this is optionally available in certain modes) and is able to be mounted on drive shafts that are out of alignment with the pump housing.

[00057] In the following claims and the previous summary of the invention, except where the context otherwise requires to express the language, or necessary implication, the word comprising is used in the sense of including, that is, the specified resources may be associated with additional resources in various embodiments of the invention.

[00058] In the description presented of the preferred modalities, specific terminology was used for the sake of clarity. However, the invention should not be limited to the specific terms thus selected, and

Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 23/55 / 19 it should be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar way to achieve a similar technical purpose. Terms such as front and rear, internal and external, above and below and the like are used as words of convenience to give reference points, and should not be construed as limiting terms.

[00059] The reference in this specification to any previous publication (or information derived therefrom) or to any matter that is known, is not, and should not be, considered an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that the previous publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of engagement to which this specification refers.

[00060] Finally, it should be understood that various changes, modifications and / or additions can be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (19)

1. Mechanical seal (10) for sealing between a rotating shaft (14) and a housing (12), the mechanical seal comprising: first (16) and second (18) opposite sealing elements, each having an annular sealing face (22, 24) surrounding the shaft (14), the first sealing element (16) adapted to be sealed on the rotating shaft ( 14) and the second sealing element (18) adapted to be sealed in the housing (12), the sealing faces (22, 24) being arranged to be pushed in contact to form a seal between them; and a mounting assembly arranged to secure one of the sealing elements (16, 18) in position with respect to a mechanical seal support structure (10), the mounting assembly including: an assembly (28, 38) having a base portion (72, 74) attached to a sealing element (16, 18) and a rib portion (76, 78), characterized by the fact that: the rib portion (76, 78) protrudes out from the base portion (72, 74) beyond the sealing element (16, 18) and in a plane parallel to the sealing face (22, 24) of the one sealing element, the rib portion (76, 78) having a free end opposite the base portion (72, 74) which is spaced from and not in contact with the sealing element (16, 18), the set of additionally mounting including support structure (14, 34), and a retaining part (30, 82) mounted on the support structure (14, 34), the rib portion (76, 78) being arranged between the retaining part ( 30, 82) and the support structure (14, 34) and being releasably clamped between them to secure the rib portion (76, 78) relative to the support structure (14, 34) to allow the transfer of torque between the sealing element (16, 18) and the support structure, and the assembly (28, 38) is arranged to deform under load in order to Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 25/55 2/4 distribute the torque load on the sealing element. 2. Mechanical seal (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the mounting assembly additionally comprises a support surface which is arranged to inhibit axial movement of the sealing element (16, 18) in relation to the geometric axis of rotation of the rotary axis. Mechanical seal (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the supporting surface (94, 96) forms part of the retaining part (30, 82). Mechanical seal (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the assembly (28, 38) is in the form of a resilient ring that is fixed to a sealing element (16, 18) or, alternatively, it is formed of one or more resilient elements fixed to a sealing element (16, 18). Mechanical seal (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the sealing element (16, 18) includes a recess in which the assembly (28, 38) is fitted. Mechanical seal (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the assembly (28, 38) is formed of a viscoelastic material. 7. Mechanical seal according to claim 6, characterized in that the assembly (28, 38) is connected to the sealing element. Mechanical seal (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the assembly (28, 38) is connected by a vulcanization process to a sealing element (16, 18). Mechanical seal (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the sealing element (16, 18) is formed of ceramic material. Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 26/55 3/4 10. Mechanical seal (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the assembly assembly mounts the first sealing element (16) on the rotating shaft (14). Mechanical seal (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it additionally comprises a second assembly set arranged to secure the other of the sealing elements (16, 18) in position relative to a second support structure of the mechanical seal, the second assembly set being in a manner as defined in any one of claims 1 to 10 with respect to the assembly set. 12. Sealing assembly for a mechanical seal (10), the assembly comprising a sealing element (16, 18) having an annular sealing face (22, 24), a retaining part (30, 82), an support (14, 34), and an assembly (28, 38) connected to the sealing element (16, 18), where the assembly (28, 38) includes a base portion (72, 74) and a rib portion (76, 78), characterized by the fact that: the rib portion (76, 78) projects outwardly from the base portion (72, 74) beyond the sealing element (16, 18) and in a plane parallel to the sealing face (22, 24), the rib portion (76, 78) having a free end opposite the base portion (72, 74) which is spaced from and without contact with the sealing element (16, 18), the groove portion (76, 78) being releasably tightened by a retaining part (30, 82) and the support structure (14, 34) and being clamped between them so as to secure the sealing element (16, 18) in position on the mechanical seal ( 10). 13. Sealing assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that the assembly (28, 38) is formed of at least one resilient element (28, 38) connected to the sealing element (16, 18). 14. Sealing assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that the assembly (28, 38) is in the form of a ring Petition 870190085306, of 08/30/2019, p. 27/55 4/4 resilient (28, 38). Sealing assembly according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the assembly (28, 38) is formed of a viscoelastic material. 16. Sealing assembly according to claim 15, characterized in that the assembly (28, 38) is connected by a vulcanization process to the sealing element (16, 18). 17. Sealing assembly according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that the sealing element (16, 18) includes a recess in which the assembly (28, 38) is fitted. 18. Sealing assembly according to any one of claims 12 to 17, characterized in that the sealing element (16, 18) is formed of ceramic material. 19. Pump, characterized in that it includes a pump housing (100) with an opening, a drive shaft (102) that extends through the opening, and a mechanical seal (10) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 11, providing a fluid seal between the housing (100) and the drive shaft (102), where the rotating shaft (14) of the mechanical seal (10) is mounted on the drive shaft (102), and the housing ( 12) the mechanical seal (10) is mounted on the pump housing (100).